


Sympathy Pains

by Enchantable



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Babies, Drift Bond, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-13
Updated: 2013-09-13
Packaged: 2017-12-26 12:11:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/965779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All things considered, it's not bad for their first drift after a year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sympathy Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: MALEIGH FLUFF. ANYTHING FLUFFY. THANKS!!!

The drift disconnects with a pull. 

It’s still a struggle to let her mind go, to not cling to it as Mako’s mind retreats from something all encompassing to a presence in the back of his mind. Through their comms he can hear Mako gently exhale. She’s better at disconnecting from the drift. She doesn’t cling to his mind, but then again she’s never felt a mind die in her own. She never will if Raleigh has anything to say about it. 

"Drift disconnect successful," Tendo’s voice comes over the comm, "you are clear to disengage rigs."

"Thanks," he says.

They disconnect their foot clamps and step out. Or, Mako steps out. He staggers out, his hand grabbing the controls to steady himself. Mako’s at his side instantly, guiding his arm over her shoulder. His entire back is one long ache that seems to radiate to his lower spine. His stomach lurches and he thinks he’s going to be sick. 

"Breathe through your nose," Mako says, her voice steady. 

He forces himself to comply with what she’s telling him. His eyes dart over to hers and she offers an apologetic smile. He smiles back at her, shaking his head slightly to tell her it’s alright. Together they make their way out of the Conn pod and in to the tech room. He sways on his feet as the techs drill them out of their armor leaving them in their circuit suits. He actually has to hold on to one of the techs as he steps out of his suit.

They change in to the sweats they wear after the drifts. Mako’s at his side instantly, pulling his arm over her shoulder again. They make their way out of the tech room and back towards theirs. They’re halfway there when Raleigh’s stomach rolls and he shakes his head. Mako steers them towards the mess and in to one of the bathrooms. Raleigh barely makes it to the toilet before he’s throwing up. 

He vomits again and again until his stomach is empty and then he vomits once more, coming up with nothing but bile. When his stomach rolls but nothing comes up he manages to flush the toilet. He presses his face to the cool tile and fights the urge to just curl up right there and sleep. He doesn’t need to go back to their room when there’s a perfectly good floor right underneath his feet. 

He feels Mako’s hand on the back of his neck. Weakly he opens one eye and looks at her. He tries for a smile but it doesn’t come. Mako hands him a cup of water and he takes it, rinsing out his mouth and spitting it out. He leans back against the wall and nearly passes out at how good the cool feels against his back. Mako brushes her hand across his hair, pushing it back from his sweat soaked forehead. 

"Think you can make it back home?" she asks. 

He nods, not trusting himself to open his mouth and just have words come out. He doesn’t let Mako take his weight but keeps his arm around her shoulder as they make their way down the hall back to their rooms. He knows he smells awful and that he should shower but all he can do is make his way over to the bed and collapse on to it. Mako follows him down, curving her body around his. 

One of her hands slips down between their bodies and presses in to his lower back. He can’t help the groan that escapes his lips as her fingers knead the exact spot that aches the worst. His head drops forward on the pillow as she works her fingers under his tank and against his skin, pressing harder in to his muscles. Her thumb hits the exact spot that aches worst. 

"Right there," he exhales.

"I know," Mako says kissing behind his ear. 

He smiles weakly and breathes through his nose. He still feels sick and his back still aches but Mako knows exactly where to touch him. Even in the face of this insanity. He knows he’s lucky, that things could be a hell of a lot worse. Raleigh feels the knots in his back give way as she digs her knuckles in. When he relaxes she presses her palm to his spine and lets the warmth of his hand seep through her skin. 

"Better?" she asks. He nods. 

"I’m sorry," she says and he forces himself to turn around, looking at her. 

"Don’t apologize," he says firmly, "not for this. I’m fine," he says and winces at the smell of his breath, "it just takes getting used to," he smiles crookedly, "I’ll get my sea legs."

Mako returns the smile. He squeezes his eyes shut before pushing himself up and staggering in to the bathroom. There’s nothing in his stomach but he still heaves. At least they have a private bathroom. He gets to clean his mouth out properly and when he’s finished Mako’s sitting there with a green can. She opens it and hands it to him. He takes a sip of the ginger liquid and smiles at the taste. 

"Remember when this was the only thing in our fridge?" he questions. 

"And those saltines were the only thing in the room?" she says with a roll of her eyes, "very well," she tells him, "you, me and the kitchen staff do not miss those days," she says, pushing herself to her feet at the knock on the door. 

She opens it to see Marshall Hansen standing in the door with a crooked smile on his face. She smiles back at him as he cranes his neck to see Raleigh. The younger man lifts the ginger ale can in a wordless solute. To his unending credit Herc returns the gesture and smiles at him instead of laughing. 

"Ange had a rough time of it too," Herc says, "makes you miss the days when we just rubbed backs and brought saltines doesn’t it?"

Mako bites her cheek as Raleigh groans. 

"Men weren’t made for this," he says, "we’re the weaker sex."

"You sound surprised," Mako says as Herc steps in to the room and pulls the carrier off his back. 

The baby in the back is sound asleep, her tiny fists curled in her blanket and her thatch of black hair hidden by a white cap. She barely stirs as he transfers her to Mako’s arms, just gives her mother a passing glance before falling right back to sleep. 

"She wasn’t too much trouble?" Mako asks. 

"Nah," Herc says with a shake of his head, "sprog was an angel."

Mako smiles and steps in to the next room to put the baby to bed. Herc drags a chair over to the bed and drops in to it. Raleigh closes his eyes and drinks more of the ginger ale as Herc pulls out the tablet. He takes another drink out of the can and looks at the older pilot whose engrossed in the report. Finally he sighs and rolls his eyes which, all things considered, is inadvisable. He grips the can and drinks again.

"Just say it," he says. 

"So, how’s morning sickness?" Herc says, his voice a struggle to be light and controlled. 

"Horrible," Raleigh says, "it’s horrible," he looks over his shoulder at his daughter’s room, "I don’t know how Mako stood this for nine months," he says looking at Herc.

"Like you said mate," Herc says leaning back in his chair, "we’re the weaker sex."

Herc makes the report beautifully short and saves the debrief for later. Raleigh drops back on to the bed as Mako pads over. He rolls over this time and wraps his arms around her. She presses her body back in to his as he holds her tightly against him, one of his hands slipping down between their bodies to rub the spot on her lower back. She exhales and presses her back against his hand as he teases out the residual ache. 

"Have I told you how amazing you are lately?" he asks. 

"Yes," Mako says, "but you can always tell me again."

He leans forward and kisses her cheek as he does. She turns her neck and kisses him properly, despite the awkward angle. She turns in his arms, not breaking the kiss. He doesn’t move his hand from her lower back, continuing to press his fingers to her skin which he knows she likes and also pulls her hips closer. 

"You’re amazing," he says against her lips, "so damn amazing." 

"So are you," she says between kisses, "are you feeling better."

He nods his head against her skin. How could he not be feeling better? Mako’s breath is hitching and in the next room their daughter is sleeping soundly. Despite experiencing symptoms from his wife’s pregnancy, their first drift in a year was a successes. He kisses Mako again, digging his hand in harder and she groans, nodding furiously. 

"Right there," she breathes out and he can’t help the faint smile on his lips. 

"I know."


End file.
